Labeling machine



:wl BEJREN LABEL-tine MACHINE Filed 23, 1920 April 7,1925.

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q I Z7106 0 4M 7 w April '7, 1925.

J. VAN BUREN LABELING MACHINE Filed Sept. :33, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 7, 1925. 1,532,561

J. VAN BUREN LABELING MACHINE Filed Sept. 23, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1,532,561 J. VAN BUREN LABELING MACHINE Filed Sept. '23, 1920 s Sheets-Sheet 4 April 7, 1925.

April 7, 1925. 1,532,561

, JL VAN BUREN LABELING MA'camn Filed Sept. '25. 1920 5 sheets-sheet 6 Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

tlhii'iE STATES PATENT orrics;

JOHII VAN BUREN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TOAMEBICAN ,CHICLE COMPANY, OF NEW? YORK, N, Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LABELING .MACHINE.

Application filed September 23, 1920. Serial No. 412,348.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN VAN BUREN, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city or" New York, county of Kings 3 and State of New York, have invented cernew and useful Improvements in Labeling; lnachines, of which the following is a specification.

present invention relates in general it: sheet feeding apparatus and more par-' ticularly to machines for feeding and positioning sheets, and has special reference to the provision of an improved mechanism for 'leedi reversing, and separating sheets. '3 while machines embodying my present roveinents are adapted for a wide range (neral usefulness in the art of handling and the like, they find a field of utility in serving the purpose of sheets of labels, wrappers and the l i shall accordingly proceed to deiiy invention as embodied in a so'- lube inc; machine. I

@bviousl to worl: to advantage machines at the character referred to operate under "dit cos of relatively high speed, and must operate with precision. As the sheets of paper follow each other very rapidly through the machine. one of the great desiderata is rm to remove each sheet from the path of the following sheet in order to avoid interfere once between them, due to the tendency of the sheets to stick together by such adhesion incident to static electricity, suction or omena.

it is attempted to accomplish such separation by mere diiierential drive or lug action upon the several sheets, the :ulties involved have not been overcome.

principal objects of my present ineution, therefore, are the provision of a use of the nature referred to characterby such a feed of the stream of sheets each sheet is positively separated fror sheet immediately following it, one ein each sheet is diverted from the path orement of the sheet next following, wherein such separation is effected by i arting to each sheet a movementin a direction different from that of such followsheet, one wherein any interference between the successive sheets is avoided by accelerating the movement of the then leading sheet of the stream, one wherein rectification of the position of each sheet is accomplished immediately before it is discharged from the ultimate feeding element, one wherein the leading sheet is subjected generally to kinetic energy for the purpose of imparting accelerated movement thereto, ant more particularly is so subjected when broughtwithin the radius or action or the accelerated drive, one wherein generally the leading sheet isshifted' bodily from one plane to another for avoidance of interterence, and more particularly the rectification 01 position is eilected during such shifting,- one wherein the direction ofmovemerit of the leading sheet is generally reversed t'rom that of the following sheet and particularly one wherein the adjacent sheets of the stream are both positively driven, one wherein such reversal isaccomplished generally without imparting any strain upon the sheet and particularly by reversing the positions of the leading and following ecges of the leading sheet, one wherein the kinetic energy utilized for positioning and accelerating the movement of the leading sheet is produced by retarding some portion of the leading sheet while another portion thereof continues to move and thereby the sheet is placed under compression, the provision generally of an improved mechanical movement for differentially driving the stream 01" sheets and more particularly one employing differentially speeded' roller portions for such purpose, together with such further and additional objects as may hereinafter appear.

In attaining the objects referred to and gaining certain other benefits and advantapes to be below pointed out. I have provided a construction, one embodiment where of is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein' Y Figures 1 and 2 are elevationalillustrations of lateral aspects of the machine,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken inc the sheets with which they succe on the line 83 of Figure 6, regarding the machine in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 1 is a sectional view illustrative of a part of the machine, similar to Figure 0;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a plan View of the machine, looking at the machine in the direction indicated by the arrows 6-6 in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary View illustrative of a detail of construction.

As will be understood on reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, in the present embodiment of my invention 1 provide a machine characterized by the provisionot-a suitable table, 10, for supporting a stack of label sheets indicated at A. The labels are held in position on the table, 10, by means of a reservoir, 11.

The labels are fed successively from the bottom of the stack by the intermittent contact therewith of the rotating separatingmember, 12, having frictional portions, l3, positioned between the table edge, 15, and the end abutment member, 16, of the reservoir, 11.

For the purpose of assisting in the separa tion of the lowermost sheet from that immediately thereabove, the table, '10, is providec with asharpened needle no or pin, 17, which pierces and engages the several lowermost sheets. a

The holding action of the pin 1'? is suilicient to overcome the tendency or the second lowermost shee to adhere to and more u th the lowermost sheet when the latter is ad vanced by one of the divided frictional surfaces, 13, until such second lowermost sheet is acted upon by the other divided frictional surf-ace 13 of the member 12.

The friction between the surfaces 13 and sively conretardh w s tact is sullicient to overcome the effect of the pin 17.

The relative positions 01 the friction surfaces 13, are such that the sheets are advanced in overlapping relation.

As the successive sheets are advanced from the table, 10, by the member 12, they tall upon the lower feeding member or roller, 18, and are further advanced by the feeding:

members or rollers, 18 and 19, and are held in contact with the latter by the guide members 20.

These guide members, 20, are spaced across the width of the machine and are preferably in the form of wire members bent around the shaft, 21, or" the roller, 18, at their lower end and at their upper end around the shaft 22 of the teed member or roller, 23, which also cooperates rith roller 19. 7 These guide members, 20, so curved to not only bridge the gap between the 'lhe lower end of the sheet as it emerges is from between the rollers 19 and 23 rest,"

momentarily upon the periphery of the roller 23.

This positioning is aided by the pressure of the adjacent end of the overlapping and so succeeding sheet of the stream, which tends to cause the lower end of the sheet indicated in the dotted lines to follow the periphery of the roller, rather than that of the roller 19.

As the lower end 01 the sheet moves alon with the periphery of the roller, 23, by t hoolrs 23 the is raised bodily, 1

upper end thereoi being; guided in such movement by the guideQ-l. V V

The upper and lower ends or the sheet move in opposite directions due to the direction of rotation of the roller and the direction of curvature of the guide 24+, thus causing" the sheet to sl '1 both bodily and angulai'ly until. a point is reached where the sheet so' cents that the upper end cor-"cs against the roughened abutment or s members, 25, shortly to be described, and the lower end of the sheet immediately falls between the roller, 2, and the tee-din, memher or roller 26.

The relation between the roller 2o, 24 and members 25 is such that the of the sheet is so rectified that the then fed downwardly by said rel 26 .nt desired position for to the article to which it is to l J. cc o be app a. It s apparent that by the employment oi? two the members 25 the co-action Rio therewith oi the roller 23, should the sheet emerge from the rohess 19 and in i 1 x normal position such position will be we 1- iied by one co ner of the upper mar 1i the sheet eng which will res per it the other corner compression placed contact or" the lower m roller 23.

In the actual 0 high speed is s the 0 or both olb a to true to the assistance ra rebound is further as- 759 Lit such downward movement may be accom-' plished by the leading sheet of the stream without interference by the next following sheet and furthermore in order that there may be a short interval during which the leading sheet rests momentarily after emergence from the rolls 23 and 26 before it is removed from the machine along with the article to which it is applied during such interval.

This differential movement is accomplished in part by means of the rebound of the sheet as previously'set forth and in part by means of the accelerated positive driving mechanism now to be described.

As will be seen on inspection of Figure 5, the roller 23 comprises three parts, 23, 23 and 23, mounted on the shaft, 22. The part 23 is keyed to the shaft 22 to rotate therewith, and the parts 23 and 23 are loose on the shaft 22 and free to rotate independentl thereof;

In order that the manner in which the two parts 23 and 23 of the roll 23 act differentially may be clearly understood, I will now proceed to describe the gearing by means of which the mechanism heretofore set forth is driven.

Eeferring to Figures 2 and 6, it will be observed that power derived from any convenient source may be employed to rotate the main drive shaft, 27, carrying the roller, 12, and a gear, 28. The rollers 18 and 19 are driven from the gear 28 by means of gears 29, 30 and 31.

For rotating the part 23 of the roller 23, a gear 32, which is keyed to the part 23, is in mesh with the gear 31.

The shaft 33 which carries the roller, 19, has a gear, 34:, at its opposite end. This gear 3% meshes with a gear 35 keyed to the roller portion 23 By this arrangement the parts 23 and 23 of the roller 23 are driven at the same speed.

New in order to drive the part 23 of the roller 23 at a higher speed than the parts 23 and 23 thereof, the shaft 33 is provided with a larger gear, 36, meshing with the gear 37 which in turn meshes with the gear 38 fixed to the shaft 39 which carries the roller 26. There is keyed to the extension d0 of the roller 26 a ear d1 meshing with the gear, d2, fixed IOI rotation with the shaft 22 to which is keyedthe part 23 of the roller 23. a

From the foregoing description of the gearing, it will be manifest that the feeding roller 26 and the part 23 are driven at the same peripheral speed and the gearing is such that the speed of these two parts is greater than that of the parts 23 and 23 of the roller 23.

Furthermore, preferably the contour of the roller 26 is such that it cooperates only with the portion 23 of the roller 23, and the portion 23 of the roller 23 on the other hand is reduced at the points 43, -13 to prevent driving contact between such portion 23 and the feeding members onthe roller 19, which latter are however in driving contact with the roller 18 and certain of which are in driving contact with the parts 2-3 and 23.

Revertingagain to Figure 7, it will be seen that the abutment or guide member 24 is preferably a spring arranged between the stop members 25 and so disposed as to aid, so far as possible, in the rectification of the sheet and accentuate the rebound thereof. -The curvature of the abutment or guide 24: and the angle thereto of the abutment or stop members 25' are suchas to serve the purposes above set forth most efficiently.

The abutment or stop members 25 may be conveniently carried on a supporting bracket, 4%, variably supported by the frame member 45. These members 25 are preferably screw threaded through the bracket 4 for adjustment relatively thereto, which serves when desired a double function of permitting longitudinal variation of the stop members 25 relatively to the bracket, 44, and of enabling the presentation of a fresh roughened surface.

The variable support of the bracket, 44., is obviously such as to'permit not only the angle of the members 25 relatively to the other elements to be varied, but also to permit a simultaneous lateral variation thereof.

It will be readily perceived on inspection of the drawings that the several parts of the machine, as a whole, are readily disassembled for repair, replacement and the like.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A machine of the character described comprising, in combination, means for feeding a stream of sheets in overlapped relation, and means for imparting accelerated movement to the leading sheet of the stream to prevent interference between the leading sheet and a following sheet.

2. A machine of the character described in which a sheet is to rest momentarily for a further operation, means for feeding a stream of sheets to the resting position, and

ieans for imparting a further niovement to the leading sheet of the stream at a higher rate of speed than that'of said feeding means, whereby interference between 'the tween one of said pair of rolls in one direction, a stationary abutinentso positioned as to engage one edge of said articles to arrest the movement of'said edge before the movement of the other edge thereof has stopped whereby said article is bent, said intermediate roll having projections arranged to engage and carry the edge of the article opposite the edge engaged by the abutment over toward the other of said pair of rolls and with said'other of said pair of rolls to move the article in the opposite direction.

19. In a feeding apparatus, a pair of feed rolls and an intermediate roll, means for passing a series of flat resilient articles between one of said pair of rolls in one direction, a pair of spaced adjustable abutments arranged to engage one edge of said art-iclcs and arresting the movement of said edge before the movement of the other edge thereof has stopped whereby said article is bent, said intermediate roll being arranged to carry the edge of the article opposite the edge engaged by the abutments over to the other of said pair of rolls and with said other of said pair of rolls to move the article in the opposite direction.

20. In a feeding apparatus, a pair of feed rolls driven at different peripheral speeds and an intermediate roll having portions movable at the peripheral speeds of said air of rolls, means for passing a series of flat, resilient articles between one of said pair of rolls in overlapped relation in one direction, an abutment arranged to engage one edge of said articles and arresting the movement of said edge before the movement of the other edge has stopped whereby said article is bent, said intermediate roll being arranged to carry the edge of the article opposite the edge engaged by the abutment over to the other of said pair of rolls and with said other of said pair of rolls to move the article in the opposite direction at a higher rate of speed whereby said articles are separated.

21. A machine of the character described comprising, in combination, means for feed.- ing a stream of sheets in overlapping relation, and means for deflecting the leading sheet out of said stream and for moving it out of its deflected position at a higher rate of speed to separate said sheets.

22. A machine of the character described comprising, in combination, sheet feeding mechanism having means for changing the direction of the movement of the sheet including a curved guide and spaced abut-' mentmenibers angularly d1sposed in relameans for accelerating the movement of the.

leading sheet, and means between the two fecdin means to cause he sheet to spring from c. direction of movement imparted by one feeding means to the other thereof.

2-1;. A. machine of the character described comprising, in combination, means for iably feeding sheets longitudinally, in- .ain low speed upward feeding means and high speed downward feeding means.

A machine of the character described comprising, in combination. means 101' variably feeding sheets, including low speed upward feeding means and high speed downward feeding means, and means between the two feeding means for causing the sheetto spring from the direction of movement imparted by one feeding means to the other thereof.

25. A machine of the character described comprising, in combination, a sheet i'eeding mechanism, and means for rectifying the leading edge of the sheet, and means for manually adjusting the position of said rectify ig means.

27. A machine of the character described comprising, in combination, a sheet feeding mechanism, means for rectifying the leading edge of the sheet, and means for adjusting the angular position of said rectifying means.

28. A machine of the character described comprising, in combination, a sheet feeding mechanism, means for rectifying the leading edge of the sheet, and means for adjusting the lateral position of said rectify ing means.

29. A machine of the character described comprising, in coinbr ation, a sheet-feeding mechanism, means for rectifying the leading edge of the sheet, and means for adjusting both the angular position and the lateral position of said rectifying means.

30. In the art of feeding sheets, the method of guiding a sheet to a feeding means comprising the forcible ejection of a sheet against a rectifying element whereby it is bent momentarily and caused to rebound into a position to be fed.

31. In the art of feeding sheets, the method of causing the sheet to change its course of movement and to be accelerated, including the step of ejecting the sheet against an abutment to bend the sheet first and then to cause the sheet to straighten in the opposite direction with an accelerated movement.

32. In the art of feeding sheets, the method of feeding a stream of sheets from a pile in one general direction in overlapped relation at one rate of speed, changing the direction of the stream of sheets and feeding the sheets in the new direction at a iii) higher rate of speed to separate the sheets. 33. In a feeding apparatus a pair 01' teed rolls and an inta-zrinediate rolh means for passing it series OI" flat resilient articles between one of said pair of rolls in ene direc tien, a stationary abutment so positiones as to engage one edge of said articles to ar rest the inoveneent of said edge before the movement of the other edge thereof has stepped whereby said article is bent, said intermediate roll having a surface arranged to engage and carry the edge of the artielej eppesi-te the edge engaged by the abutment over toward the other of sand pair 0t rolls and withsa-ld ether 6 1 said pair of rolls to move the article in the oppesite direction. In testiineny whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of the two subscribed Witnesses.

J OHN VAN BUREZJ. Witnesses PAUL CARPENTER,

WILLmaI S, GLUCK. 

